Believe It or Not Tuomari Nurmio & Knucklebone Oscar
Album info
Album-Release:
2022
HRA-Release:
02.09.2022
Album including Album cover
- 1 Adam and Eve 02:38
- 2 I Was a Fool 03:32
- 3 Dry Bones 03:22
- 4 Two Wings 02:05
- 5 John the Revelator 02:42
- 6 Fire and Brimstone 03:58
- 7 The Battle Is Over 02:46
- 8 Shadrack 02:20
- 9 I Believe to My Soul 02:43
- 10 God Almighty's Gonna Cut You Down 02:58
- 11 War 03:19
- 12 Wayfaring Stranger 03:41
- 13 Down in the Hole 02:15
Info for Believe It or Not
In the handling of two rock musicians, gospel classics come to life in soulful and raucous interpretations, paced by a tight band and an angel choir. The eight-member ensemble performs music from the albums Tales of Judge Bone (2015), Knucklebone Oscar – Judge Meets the King (2018) and from the gospel album Believe It or Not, which will be released in September 2022.
"The songs may be borrowed, but the attitude is my own - and sharp!"
Tuomari Nurmio is one of the most respected musicians in Finnish rock. The artist's album From the Grave to the Grave was chosen as the best Finnish rock album of all time in Sound's critics' vote.
Knucklebone Oscar, real name Oskari Martimo, is a Finnish guitarist-singer. Oscar's music represents rock 'n' roll and rhythm 'n' blues.
In 2018, Tuomari Nurmio and Knucklebone Oscar joined forces and released an EP worth of interpretations of old gospel songs. Now the pardoned pelimanni are again on a joint "hellish and heavenly long journey", which will escalate into the album Believe It Or Not, which will be released on September 2 via Stupido Records.
"Our project started by chance at Jätkäsaari's Weird Antiques divar, where Oscar and I probably met in 2017 and recorded four songs. Somehow it felt like a whole album was being made right away. Financially, this kind of freaking out means digging into your own pocket, but it was done out of love for the sport. Then time is never wasted," Judge Nurmio says about the initial stages of the collaboration.
Tuomari Nurmio, vocals
Knucklebone Oscar, guitar, vocals
RK Hillside Kumpulainen, keyboards, vocals
Black Matulah Mathlin, drums
Mikko Murtomaa, bass
Johannes Salomaa, saxophone, clarinet
The Holy Rock Voices Choir: Hanna & Hilja & Irene
Tuomari Nurmio a.k.a Judge Bone
(born 1950) is one of the most influential Finnish singers and songwriters but also a regenerative and chameleon-like performer. From 1979 on, Tuomari Nurmio has released 19 studio albums; two of them have earned Finnish gold records and some of them have been canonized by the critics as the cornerstones of Finnish popular music. He is an inspiration for younger musician generations and an awarded pioneer of Finnish music scene, but also an artist who keeps going against the tide.
The artist called Tuomari Nurmio is a paradox: an academic tavern musician, a perfectionist and a bohemian, a guttersnipe who later became a lawyer, the master of Helsinki street language and an expert of Finnish folklore. He´s an original and primal expert of raw blues guitar, who can also be a charismatic frontman of a big band, singing schlager or Finnish tango. Tuomari Nurmio is a fierce Dumari a.k.a. Judge, but there´s always a place for love and comfort in his music too.
Mr. Nurmio works with the best Finnish musicians in his studio and live projects, but he still continues to be an appreciated solo act throughout the years – and for the artist himself, the challenging situation of being in contact with audience alone seems to be inspiring: all that is needed are his special box-shaped guitar, bass drum pad, powerful music and his presence.
The core of his music and songwriting is also a key to his whole career. For Tuomari Nurmio, music is like a game: he rearranges old songs, has always new line-ups to play with and changes style of music from time to time. These changes are not random choices, but calculated risks to challenge him to generate something new and completely different.
This album contains no booklet.